Nobody ever expects to shoot a 59. Until Sunday, it had been done only twice in the history of PGA Tour competition. It is more common for a pitcher to hurl a perfect game, more common for a bowler to roll a 300. Shooting a 59 is almost a surrealistic experience, something golfers dream about.
But Sunday, David Duval carved his place in history during a memorable final round of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in La Quinta, Calif. Shooting a 13-under-par 59 and overcoming a seven-stroke deficit, Duval strengthened his position as the world’s most dominant player. His dramatic one-stroke victory over Steve Pate was Duval’s ninth victory in his last 28 starts and his second victory in two tournaments this year. Duval won $540,000 to increase his earnings to $1.008 million this year in two events.
When he rammed his 8-foot eagle putt dead-center into the cup on the final hole, the usually stoic Duval let go, pumping his arm several times, then raising both arms in celebration.
The only other PGA players to shoot 59 in a tournament were Al Geiberger at the Memphis Classic in 1977 and Chip Beck at the 1991 Las Vegas Invitational.
Duval’s 59–the best closing round in PGA history–gave him a five-day total of 26-under 334. He had rounds of 70, 71, 64 and 70 before making his charge.
Duval said he was “a little juiced” coming down the 18th fairway, and that he could feel the adrenaline pumping as he floated a 5-iron close enough to the pin to give him a good chance at an eagle.
Asked if his unusual show of emotion on the final green was about as excited as he’s been, Duval grinned and replied: “Gee, I wonder why? I’m kidding. Oh, yeah, I was more excited about the score–I’m not going to sit here and lie to you–than having a chance to win the golf tournament.
“I certainly had aspirations of winning, but the 59 was first and foremost in my mind. It was kind of a double bonus.”
Then it was back to reality for a while. Despite his astonishing round that included 11 birdies and one eagle, Duval had to wait as Pate, playing in the day’s final group, finished.
After going to 25 under with a birdie on No. 16, Pate parred the final two holes, lipping out an 18-foot birdie try on No. 18 that left him one shot behind.
Duval shot 31 on the front nine and 28 on the back at the 6,950-yard Arnold Palmer course at PGA West. Afterward, the fact that he had matched the PGA record hadn’t really hit him yet.
“I’m two or three hours from believing that I shot a 59,” he said, shaking his head. “It was just something where everything is going your way.”
His irons, especially, were going his way–straight at the pin.
Duval kept nailing approach shots within 2 to 6 feet of the cup, leaving him, in his words, “kick-ins” for birdies.
At the end, he needed every one of the birdies and the eagle to beat Pate.
“I heard David had a 59 when I had about two holes to go,” said Pate, who shot 66. “I knew he was at 26 under, and I knew I had to make birdies. I played better than all but one guy.
“I guess I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Said Duval: “In a sense, I feel bad for Steve because I absolutely stole the golf tournament from him.”
Duval began the final day seven shots behind Fred Funk. But Funk slipped back into a tie for fourth with a 71.
MasterCard Seniors: John Jacobs shot an uneven 2-under-par 70 for a wire-to-wire victory in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
Jacobs, who qualified for the winners-only tournament by taking last year’s Nationwide Championship, finished the 54-hole event at 13-under 203 and $185,000 richer. He becomes the 14th different winner of the tournament.
Raymond Floyd, who started the final day three strokes behind Jacobs, had putting problems and finished three back after a 70.
LPGA Naples Memorial: Meg Mallon birdied three of the final five holes to finish with a 67, a 16-under-par 272 and a one-shot victory over Helen Alfredsson and Kelly Robbins in Naples, Fla.
After Mallon made a 9-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole to get to 16 under, Alfredsson and Robbins each had a chance to force a playoff. But Alfredsson’s 60-foot birdie putt on the 18th missed left of the hole and Robbins’ long fringe putt for birdie came up short.
Mallon, 35, earned $112,500 with the 10th victory of her career.
South African Open: In Stellenbosch, David Frost shot a 3-under 68 and won the tournament for the second time. Frost, who rallied from four strokes back after the third round, finished at 5-under 279. Tied for second at 280 were American Scott Dunlap (71) and Jeev Milkha Singh of India (70).
